When does it happen, is it normally around the time the system shoulld be POSTing?

John

22nd Oct 2007

If it's only doing this once you've booted into Windows, standard Dell troubleshooting will be to run the Dell 32bit Diagnostics on the system (press F12 when the Dell logo comes up when you first boot your system, and select Utility Partition from the boot menu), and if the fault doesn't occur during that, then it's a software issue, and you'll be told to reinstall Windows. So goes the Dell Solutions Network script to which the Indian monkeys are obliged to follow without question, anyway.

Personally, I'd run Driver Clearner to wipe out the video drivers, install a new set from the Dell website (support.euro.dell.com), and try going from there.

Original Poster22nd Oct 2007

It really just happens now and again, i cant say whether its because iv done something.

The free version does a great job of cleaning out drivers, once you've done that you can try reinstalling the Dell drivers - if your issue is caused by drivers that should resolve it without having to rebuild the system.

You need to be more specific about when it's happening though, is it only happening within Windows itself or does it happen during the boot cycle? (which is where I normally see this error). If it's happening in Windows you need to check the eventlogs at the time it occurred to see if there's anything useful there which might lead you to the cause of the problem.

John

Original Poster23rd Oct 2007

It only happens when when im on a windows screen (or desktop) , just as normal i could be on it for about half an hour just looking about,...then bang - black screen alert !

Saxo , it sounds to me you may be simply going into ' Standby ' .Suggest you click Start>control panel>power settings (or somethingsimilar) and see if you have it set to go to standby after so many minutes. If so make it much longer - whatever you wish.

Good luck.

Paul.

Original Poster24th Oct 2007

Nope its def not that paul, im actually using the laptop at the time it goes into stand by...it in effect shouldnt do go into stand by if its being used.

25th Oct 2007

Hi,

FUNNY you should bring this up... I have a client with this exact same problem right now.

I'm an IT pro and have seen scores of Vostro 1000s and they are all great machines for the money.

However - the issue relating to this thread - I beleive, is USB related. I'm not sure if its amps related or otherwise, but I know its not software.

With no USB devices, the machine runs without a glitch.... when you connect a mouse and a printer, the reliability goes out the window.

My client is keeping a log of times, conditions of failure, and whats connected to the USB bus at the time of crashing. I beleive together with this thread - we'll be add weight to the argument that *somethings* not quite right with a few of these machines.

To the original poster, please advise what you have connected to your USB ports please, exact models etc - I'll see if theres a match here.

Kind regards,

Mike Freeman

25th Oct 2007

Also, it doesnt hurt to keep the drivers upto date - but be aware this hasn't had any affect this end.... the problem is still ongoing (albeit under control).

I certainly wouldn't bother with a driver cleaner etc..

I have a feeling an expedited BIOS update could be the answer. I think the power states (or lack of smooth transition) could be a possibility.

Original Poster4th Nov 2007

I have taken photos of the issue and when its happened? ill post them later.i have had the laptop on the bed without anything connected so it isnt a USB issue.

5th Nov 2007

Below is a log of this problem over the last few weeks. Sorry about the formatting. I'm sure its the USB ports.

Dell V1000 TK53 1700 2C

First day of use – Tues 11th September 2007

Machine keeps crashing for no apparent reason. When this had happened on a number of occasions, I started to keep a record. Details belowSometimes when being woken up from sleep it appears to have actually switched off, as you will get the full start up procedure, without the Windows recovery screen appearing.

Date Time Doing Result Re start4 10 07 2.10pm Trying to click on Skype Got small square (which appeared to have multicoloured stripes, a bit like a bar code) on a black screen. Manual shut down needed. Windows recovery screen appears at start up.4 10 07 6.50pm Viewing slide show As above As above5 10 07 3.00pm Had left screen for a few hours, could not wake up from “sleep” Black screen As above6 10 07 4.30pm In the middle of internet banking Screen full of blue vertical stripes As above8 10 07 3.55 On internet Got small square (which appeared to have multicoloured stripes, a bit like a bar code) on a black screen. As above10 10 07 1.50pm Checking email As above As above12 10 07 5.00pm Checking email As above As above15 10 07 12.45pm In Outlook As above As above15 10 07 5.30pm In Outlook As above As above

20 10 07 6.15 Left with slide show running mouse and printer in back port Blue grey blank screen As above24 10 07 PM Left alone, usual items open, Mouse in side, printer in back Got small square (which appeared to have multicoloured stripes, a bit like a bar code) on a black screen. As above25 10 07 2.00 pm In Outlook. Mouse in side, printer in back Got small square (which appeared to have multicoloured stripes, a bit like a bar code) on a black screen. As above26 10 07 7.00pm Power point presentation running Mouse in back. Web cam in back, printer in side Blue grey blank screen Restart did not give window recover screen, but into desk top29 10 07 1.45pm Doing internet banking. Web cam and printer in back port, no mouse Got small square (which appeared to have multicoloured stripes, a bit like a bar code) on a black screen. Manual shut down needed. Windows recovery screen appears at start up. Sometimes when being woken up from sleep it appears to have actually switched off, as you will get the full start up procedure, without the Windows recovery screen appearing. 30 10 07 7.30pm Backing up to external, crashed whilst doing this. External drive in side web cam in back, no mouse Got small square (which appeared to have multicoloured stripes, a bit like a bar code) on a black screen. Manual shut down needed. Windows recovery screen appears at start up. Then, messageChecking file system on G.FAT321 11 07 12.40pm Computer idle, External drive in back. No mouse Blue grey blank screen Manual shut down needed. Windows recovery screen appears at start up.2 11 07 11.00 Looking at email. Web cam in back, printer in side Got small square (which appeared to have multicoloured stripes, a bit like a bar code) on a black screen. Manual shut down needed. Windows recovery screen appears at start up.

What seems to be emerging is the fact that once two items are plugged in it crashes, as if it cannot cope with more than one port being plugged in.

Original Poster5th Nov 2007

here you go, this is just 3 of the times the screen has crashed and as you can see one of them is the white box and one is the red stripe (as mentioned above but with blue)

As you can see the fist one was when i was on the bed, this had nothing plugged intop the USB ports

What do you think i should do then? ask dell to come and replace this one or will it just be something for the drivers to be updated?

5th Nov 2007

It depends.

The thing with Dell is that its tech support agents are under heavy obligation to avoid what's known internally as a 'Bad', which is when an agent misdiagnoses a problem and wastes a shitload of cash by sending out an engineer to replace a part that doesn't fix the issue. This generally means that with tricky issues like this, whoever you speak to is probably going to try and fob you off in some way, probably asking you to go away and do some further tests and either call back or let them call you back later on.

With this issue here, one of four things might be awry. It's either the memory (the graphics card shares system memory, so corrupt system memory can cause video problems), the motherboard (the graphics chip being built into the board), the monitor (admittedly this is unlikely), or the OS and its drivers. The diags Dell would make you go through to rule each one out would be -

1) Try the system with one memory module only2) Try reinstalling the memory module3) Run the Dell 32bit diags on the system (explained up there ^^ how to run them)4) Wait for the system to crash again, and htis time take a note of the status of the num, caps, and scroll lock LEDs (they indicate system status, and can help determine which part has failed)5) Run the Preboot Self Assessment by booting the system using Fn + Pwr buttn5) Plug an external monitor into the laptop, wait for it to fail again, and see if the issue is visible on both the laptop screen and the ext monitor6) Format and reinstall the OS

You've got three options, as far as I can tell. You can -

1) Try all of the above, and phone them up to say what you've done, and they'll arrange what to do from there

2) Do none of the above except for steps 4 and 5 which are obligitory under the terms of the warranty. This might get you a service call, and will almost certainly result in an argument with the agent who probably won't want to dispatch an engineer without more info and troubleshooting, although you can insist on it since doing just steps 4 and 5 is all you have to do.

3) Do none of the above except steps 4 and 5, but phone up and just pretend you have. They should send out an engineer with both memory and motherboard.

Good luck, anyhow.

Original Poster5th Nov 2007

Just been on the phone to them for the past hour,

ok here is the thing to do

Switch on Laptop and keep pressing f12 until the boot startup comes up, select the last one in the list (cant remember what it is) this then tests the whole sytem around 10min it takes, click ok when asked if you seen the colour stripes.if you get a message coming up saying do you want to continuew running for the system memory and that there wasnt any issues then just press the on/off silver button.

Next we want to restart the vostro, once loaded up please go to here: ]http//su…gen and click on "Drivers and Downloads" then after choosing the model etc which is the Vostro 1000 scroll to the bottom to VIDEO, to the right you will see download driver, click on this and run it instead of save.this will take awhile again so go and click the kettle and make a brew.

Once this has run shut down laptop then restart it, when loaded up click on START bottom left then type in the search the letter "C" you should get CCC (catalyst control centre) advanced come up, click on this to bring up the ATI advanced settings.In the left box you should see "powerplay" click on this then uncheck "enable powerplay", so there isnt a tick in the box.

*** I take no responsibilty if anything happens to your laptop, make sure you have saved everything then run whats written below ***

Last thing to do now is flash the Bios, go to the dell website as we were before and click on the + sign for the BIOS, on the right download it to the desktop, you could just run it but sometimes the admin rights pop up.Once this has been saved to the desktop you should see a black box with a lightning sign on it and BIOS written on it, right click on this the run as admin, it will ask you to flash Bios click - ok... after its all done it will restart the laptop

Once this has done you might have to reinstall the sound driver...which it will do automatically then restart itself again.

This issue has been fixed by the techincal support team and they are aware now of this (stripes along the screen) from Dell altho they did say if it happens again reply to the email sent out by them.So if anyone does start gettting the problem again please get in touch with Dell.